In a digital camera, light rays fall on an image sensor through the optics of the camera. The image sensor detects and records the intensity of light rays incident on each pixel of the image sensor. From the intensity data, an image or a photograph is created.
Modern image sensors provide an increasing number of pixels while the size and cost of the sensor remains reasonable. As the number of pixels, or the number of image sensors, increases, not all pixels are required to form a final image of high quality. Accordingly, versatile uses of the image sensor have been suggested. For example, methods of high dynamic range imaging and oversampling have exploited the high number of pixels available.
Concurrently with the development of image sensor technology, imaging has also developed into a social experience, and a camera is also used for purposes other than mere imaging, e.g. in navigation and social media. A rising trend in digital imaging is augmented reality and, accordingly, utilizing the image sensor for purposes of augmented reality is envisaged.